Hard as Steel

A Hard Ink/Raven Riders Crossover - 1001 Dark Nights

By: Laura Kaye

Narrated by: Jack Dupont

Length: 4 hrs

Publisher's summary

After identifying her employer's dangerous enemies, Jessica Jakes takes refuge at the compound of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club. Fellow Hard Ink tattooist and Raven leader Ike Young promises to keep Jess safe for as long as it takes, which would be perfect if his close, personal, round-the-clock protection didn't make it so hard to hide just how much she wants him - and always has.

Ike Young loved and lost a woman in trouble once before. The last thing he needs is alone time with the sexiest and feistiest woman he's ever known, one he's purposely kept at a distance for years. Now Ike's not sure he can keep his hands or his heart to himself - or that he even wants to anymore. And that means he has to do whatever it takes to hold on to Jess forever.

©2015 Laura Kaye (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Just something missing . . .

Jess was a mess. The direct Jess was missing but there at the same time. Ike. Well, Ike was stubborn. The action was gone.

Narration was too masculine. I felt Jess was to much male while being so small and female. I just could not connect with them.

Hard As Steel

Covers the life both past of Jessica Jacks and the Ravens Riders member known as Ike Young met while working for the owner of the Hard Ink tattoo shop. They had been working with the Rixey's boys. One day she went out in club with one of their enemies who through they can used her to get to the Hard Ink business. She was able to get away and Ike kept her save.

Pretty good story :)

3.5-4 stars

This was a pretty good story. I was introduced to Ike and Jessica in the Hard Ink series and I liked them enough that I wanted to see how they got together. I liked this story and I plan to read more of the series in the future.

Jessica is a piercer that works for Jeremy, the owner of the Hard Ink tattoo parlor (see the Hard Ink series by Kaye). Jessica's mother left her and her father when Jessica was only 8 years old. Jessica grew up close to her father (who was a cop) but some trouble ended with her dad getting killed and Jessica blamed herself for his death. Jessica has had feelings for Ika for years but he's always treated her more like a little sister.

Ike is a biker with the Raven Riders motorcycle club and he also works as a tattoo artist at Hard Ink. Ike grew up in a family that wasn't good and he just wanted to get away from them. Unfortunately, his family was determined enough to keep him that they started a situation that ended up killing the girl that Ike loved. Ike escaped his family but felt that his love's death was his fault and that he didn't deserve to love again.

Ike and Jessica have been denying their attraction to each other for years but when Jessica ends up in danger (from some of the stuff going on in the Hard Ink series) Ike is determined to protect her. Ike takes Jessica to his place to stay but them being alone together makes the attraction all the stronger and harder to deny. Unfortunately, Ike has a tendency to stick his foot in his mouth while trying to push Jessica away and he hurts her even though he doesn't really want to. Basically the story focuses almost completely on Jessica and Ike's relationship and after some drama, Jessica and Ike manage to work through their issues and end the story starting a HEA together.

This was a pretty enjoyable story. I like Jessica and Ike and was happy to see them get together. I have to admit that Ike pissed me off a few times because he acted like a real jerk while trying to push Jessica away but thankfully, he got past that. Overall, this was a pretty enjoyable story...I'd recommend this and am planning to read more of the series in the future.

* note - The narrator did an alright just but his female voice made Jessica sounds like she constantly had a sore throat which was a bit annoying.

Great story, awful narration

The story was awesome but I couldn't get lost in it like I normally can with Laura Kaye books because the narrator was so awful at impersonating Jessica. Often things were said that were often sexy I laughed at because it sounded so weird. This would've been better as a e-book and not as an Audible selection.

Love the story, needs a different female voice

Love the story and the MC. The narration is great for the male characters but not the female one. The narrator’s female voice was distracting, then annoying.

Hard as Steel

Loved it! Struggles of past aches, healed by two people in love...with a lot of troubles and lost to add into the mix

Okay.....

I have been on a biker romance kick. This book was a bit slow for me.

The narrator did good with the male voice, but his female protrayal of the main character “Jess” was a little annoying.

A rough road to, togetherness!

These two have been on a very long ride. Spending a week alone together does the trick. I loved this story. You have to rewind your mind, so to speak, and realize that this story is happening at the same time as the last Hard Ink novel. The narration is pretty good, although I’m not really fond of the voice the narrator uses for the Heroine. I hope that we get to know more about this couple in the Raven Riders series; only time will tell. This book was a good bridge from the Hard Ink series and The Raven Riders series . Can’t wait to learn more about this MC club.
-V from Kansas

Nice story

Ike & Jess get their HEA.

Does not have the action/suspense the other main Hard Ink stories have but it doesn't really need it.

Ike has to come to terms with his past to move forward.

Narrator is ok - male lead good, but his rendition of the female lead just did not sit well with me. to breathy and dramatic all the time. Not so bad I couldn't continue but there were times I couldn't wait for "her" dialog to be done.

Down an dirty

Very passionate even though neither could express themselves without it. Well until... lol Yeah! Read it!